The Day the Tape Deck Died

     I decided I needed some music while I sewed the other day.  I switched on the IPod and began listening to LeAnn Rimes album "Twisted Angel."  Wow, I said to Mike.  She sure did change her style between "Blue" and this album  I mean, where did the country go?  I started looking for "Blue" on CD and discovered I had it on a cassette tape.  When was the last time I played a tape?
     I popped the tape into the tape deck and there was nothing except some feeble clicking.  The end of an era passed with click, click, click, click, click.  Gone was one third of the Phillips Magnavox mini system bought in the 1990's.  Gone was the little tape player/radio that was once housed in the garage.  I sold it at a yard sale.  Gone was the 1997 van that had a tape player in the dash.  It was replaced by another vehicle a couple of years ago.  Long gone was the Walkman that I never really used anyway.
     The day the tape deck died might usher in the day some of my music dies.  I have about 100 cassette tapes, some homemade, containing music by Willy Nelson, Squeeze, Robert Cray, Lionel Ritchie, and Huey Lewis.  There's lots of Springstein and Billy Joel.  There's the sound track from Eddie and the Cruisers.  Years ago I transferred all my vinyl to tape.  Will I lose the Beatles and the Monkeys?
     Is it possible to buy a cassette player these days?  Well, you can't get one in an automobile. The last car to have a factory equipped, in dash cassette player was a 2010 Lexus.  By 2011, no car manufacturer installed cassette players.  Fortunately, you can still buy a tape player at Walmart, Target, or Best Buy.  They cost less than $50.
     So, the question then arises, "Will I ever play those old cassettes again?"  How long had "Blue" been gathering dust?  I'll bet the last time that tape went from reel to reel was around Y2K.  Should I put those 100 tapes out on the curb?  Nope.  Some day I might want to hear Leann Rimes and Eddie Arnold yodeling "Cattle Call."  For that I'll need to have a $24.99 tape player.  I'm off to Walmart to pick one up before they stop making them.